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What analogue upgrade?

Spencerfrater

Spencerfrater

pfm Member
The upgrade-itis is gnawing away at me... it’s been almost a year now.
So let’s say I had up to £1k to upgrade my analogue bits - what should I do?
I’m using a Nottingham Analogue Interspace TT (not Junior) / RB300 tonearm / Goldring 1042 MM cart / Aragon 24K pre/phono. Listening to rock/acoustic/vocal/jazz and don’t like a “bright” sound. I actually love the sound I have but dream of a broader/deeper soundstage and a bit more source “separation”.
I’m under the impression from my research that I should upgrade the cartridge from a MM to MC, and of course people recommend the ART9.
But my concerns are as follows:
1. Although the Aragon pre/phono should be fine with the MC cart, this is unproven for me as I don’t have the opportunity to borrow an MC and try it out. The Aragon is getting old now, and although it’s perfectly fine with the MM, some people have said an MC will not be that quiet through the phono stage (due to the extra gain?). If it doesn’t work out then I may have to buy a new phono stage too which I don’t really want to do and can’t afford on top of a £900 MC cart.
2. What if I end up preferring the sound of the G1042 MM to the ART9 - I’d probably lose a fair bit having to sell it on second hand and be back to square one.
I know the solution would be to audition, but that is not an easy option for me for various reasons. And hey, what are the forums for anyway?
Are there other upgrade options I’m missing? I’m not sure I could move the dial much on my TT or tone arm...
 
Cart'.

Ask and wait here for a good used one, you will get something really special for 1k. If you buy at a fair price and are not taken with it, sell on for what you paid +/- very little.

Where are you? A PFMer from not so far away might oblige with something in return for a chilled afternoon, a beer/coffee/tea and cakes.
 
Your phono stage is either equipped for a l.o. m/coil or not; not difficult to ascertain. The RB300 may be okay with some coils, but isn't really the best arm. I'd be tempted to upgrade the m/magnet if you're unsure about coils. However, the Hana (there's one for sale at the mo'), might be good, and upgrade your arm (and/or deck to another N.A.) Assuming your stage can cope; otherwise a new stage or stick to m.m.
 
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^^ Sorry, I had missed the RB300.....

Cleft stick then, 1K might stretch to an uprated tonearm and cart' (both used)'??????
I'd go with Mike.
 
Mike Reed said:
Your phono stage is either equipped for a l.o. m/coil or not; not difficult to ascertain. The RB300 may be okay with some coils, but isn't really the best arm. I'd be tempted to upgrade the m/magent if you're unsure about coils. Hoever, the Hana (there's one for sale at the mo'), might be good, and upgrade your arm (and/or deck to another N.A.) Assuming you stage can cope; otherwise a new stage or stick to m.m.
Click to expand...
The phono stage is equipped for MC, but I’ve never tried it, and someone said when he used MC on the 24K it wasn’t that quiet.
Do you mean you’d upgrade to a better MM? What tonearm would you go to?
 
Vinny said:
Cart'.

Ask and wait here for a good used one, you will get something really special for 1k. If you buy at a fair price and are not taken with it, sell on for what you paid +/- very little.

Where are you? A PFMer from not so far away might oblige with something in return for a chilled afternoon, a beer/coffee/tea and cakes.
Click to expand...
In Herts - just north of the big smoke
 
I used a Jelco 750 arm on my Interspace (Junior), replacing an RB300. It was a very good upgrade. One of the newer range of Jelco arms would probably be even better.
 
Spencerfrater said:
The phono stage is equipped for MC, but I’ve never tried it, and someone said when he used MC on the 24K it wasn’t that quiet.
Do you mean you’d upgrade to a better MM? What tonearm would you go to?
Click to expand...

Look, I don't know your pre/ph stage. Is it a pre. with onboard stage, in which case you won't have many (or any?) options re. gain and loadings. L.o. coils can shunt out less than 0.2mV or up to 0.6mV+; big difference, though a quality stage should at least cope with a range from 0.35 to 0.5. Resistance loading, if fixed (at 100 ohms or higher?) may suit one cart. but not another, though your report of 'noisy' suggests gain rather than loading.

There are just soooo many m/magnets; the whole Grado range, e.g., AT, Ortofon......this is a matter of synergy and taste. Depends upon your budget, but if you're contemplating change of pre. (or not) but def. change of stage with adjustments, plus change of arm + cart (and deck?) you're looking at a new front end, effectively. I have a N. A. deck and arm (Dais + 12" Ace Anna) and I'd be tempted at the hyper deck with arm and Jubilee cart. (don't like this cart., though) which is, or was very recently, on sale for a good price. A major upgrade in one fell swoop. ANY cart. will sound better ! Think it's in Glasgow, which could present a problem !

Not very clear advice, I'm afraid, but you probably get the gist.
 
It's still going strong
Click to expand...

I just wonder whether any noise in the output of the psu will become noticeable if using the extra gain of the mc stage, as alluded to in your initial post.

Rather than replace the Aragon or supplement it with a separate phono stage, you could try an mc cartridge and if the extra gain proves 'noisy' add a step up transformer into the mm input perhaps.

Keep in mind also that usually mc carts don't have replaceable styli and the only course of action if damaged or worn is as described by David Ellwood in post #3 above.

I have used moving coils, and liked an AT OC9II which may work on the RB300, and currently use a Zu Denon 103R on a 12" arm. In your system, I would be inclined to try a better mm like an Ortofon 2M Black or Nagaoka 500 (as used by Tony L among others here).

If the MC itch has to be scratched the Aragon has quite useful loading adjustment -

"Soldered onto the circuit board are 3 switches for moving coil adjustments. To access them be sure the pre-amp Is unplugged from the A.C. outlet, remove the screws from the top cover, and you will notice 2 switches with 9 positions on the right side of the circuit board. Closer to the center Is a single 2 position switch. For moving call gain, the 2 position switch should have both tabs depressed towards the left (C1 & C3). The 2 switches on the right adjust loading for the two channels. therefore the adjustments should be identical on both. Each switch, from 1 to 8 will present the following load: 5 6 7 8 249 ohms 475 ohms 825 ohms 1000 ohms 1 2 3 4 10 ohms 25 ohms 47 ohms 100 ohms Check with the moving coil manufacturer as to what load is recommended. You will notice that the volume will decrease as you lower the load. I.e. 10 ohms will have less gain than 47,000 ohms. By combining switches you can create different loads. To know what load you are creating, multiply the two values, then add the two values, then divide the added value Into the multiplied value to determine the resistance."

If you haven't got it the manual (all 4 pages!) can be downloaded from Hifi Engine (where I just found the above) and a worked example is provided.

I have not (so far) spent as much as £1000 on a cartridge:)

Jim
 
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